COVER FEATURE
The Nun026 | W W W. S C I FI N OW.CO.U KA UNIVERSE
OF HORRORS
IF ITS POSTER IS TO BE BELIEVED, THE NUN IS SET TO BE THE DARKEST CHAPTER IN THE
CONJURING UNIVERSE, SO IT’S BOUND TO HAVE TONS OF MEMORABLE SET-PIECES THAT
WILL SEND A CHILL DOWN OUR SPINES. HERE, WE LOOK BACK ON THE UNFORGETTABLE
MOMENTS FROM THE FOUR EXISTING OUTINGS, BE THEY SPOOKY OR EMOTIONAL...1
A SINISTER
SELF-SACRIFICE
Annabelle is the weakest instalment
of the Conjuring fi lms but its opening scene
is really quite something. It also happens to
be the bleakest in the whole franchise.
The fi lm opens with John Form giving his
pregnant wife Mia a porcelain doll so that
she can gift it to their daughter when she
arrives. That night, two intruders break into
their house and injure Mia.
When the police arrive, they fatally
shoot one of the criminals while the other- later, revealed to be Annabelle Higgins,
possessed by a demon – commits suicide
while holding the doll.
We’re sure you can piece together what
happens next...
2
AFTER AMITYVILLE
Paranormal investigators Ed and
Lorraine Warren (played by Patrick
Wilson and Vera Farmiga) were involved in
several real-life hauntings in the Seventies. One
was the infamous Amityville Horror that saw a
couple claim they were being tormented by a
violent, demonic presence shortly after moving
into the New York house where Ronald DeFeo Jr
killed his family.
The Conjuring 2’s opener sees Lorraine hold
a séance and dip into a vision where she acts
out the fateful actions of DeFeo Jr, gets lured into
the basement and sees Ed get killed. The shots
are incredible – Lorraine’s invisible refl ection
in a mirror, in particular – and it sets up the
emotional thread throughout the rest of the fi lm.3
HIDE AND CLAP
‘Hide and Clap’ is probably one
of the most recognisable parts of
any Conjuring fi lm, and not just because
it featured in The Conjuring’s trailer.
Shortly after the Perron family move
into their new farmhouse, the children
start playing a game which involves one
person being blindfolded and fi nding
the others by their clapping. Later,
mother Carolyn hears clapping in the
hallway. Her investigations take her
to the top of the basement stairs, and
as she strikes a match to illuminate the
space, a pair of hands reaches over her
shoulders from the darkness and claps
next to her ear.4
OH, SHEET!
There are many people out there who
enjoy a good jump scare but we’re
prepared to argue that creepy, slow-burn
scenes trump those with the shock factor.
Our proof being when Annabelle: Creation
protagonist Janice stumbles on the titular doll
for the fi rst time.
Spooked, she covers it up with a white sheet
but as the scene progresses, the doll – still
wearing the sheet – eerily stands up and glides
out of the locked closet she found her in.
Janice turns around and stares in disbelief as the
doll walks towards her, knees bending and all.
When it gets close, and Janice is worried witless,
the sheet drops to the fl oor revealing nothing
underneath it.WORDS AMY WEST